


All the Fires I've Left to Burn

by JohnxStrider



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Betrayal, Caliborn is a major dick, Crying, Dave just wants love, Dirk has OCD, Douchestuck, F/F, Fake Love, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Heavy Angst, Humiliation, Hurt/Comfort, Jake doesn't know how to love properly, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Panic Attacks, Past Abuse, Rape/Non-con Elements, Regret, Slow Burn, Smut, Social Anxiety, Unrequited Love, i swear this is really cute too, it's not just angst i promise, minor depression
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-21
Updated: 2017-06-28
Packaged: 2018-11-16 19:00:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11258988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JohnxStrider/pseuds/JohnxStrider
Summary: “Oh, hey, it’s Strider! And what looks like a little Strider..?” He raised an eyebrow and flashed a grin. Dirk seemed at a loss of words and Dave was ready to abscond with him, but he seemed more flustered than afraid.“John, it’s nice seeing you, but I have to get my brother to class.” Dirk managed to say, trying to move past him. John immediately grabbed his shoulders and grinned.“No way! Jake has got to see this little twink. Hey, Jake!” He called, and while Dirk’s cheeks were starting to turn pink, he didn’t look happy at Dave being called a twink.“Well, if it isn’t the cutie who was staring.” Oh fuck no, that same hot guy from earlier was standing in front of Dave, his emerald eyes amused. The blond’s cheeks flushed darkly and he directed his gaze to the ground, embarrassed.xDouchestuck.





	1. Dave

**Author's Note:**

> W o w okay, I'm starting another fanfic because I love JakeDave with a passion! It melts my heart,,
> 
> Just kidding I don't have a heart ;3
> 
> Okay, so this is obviously my attempt on douchestuck. I didn't come up with the AU and I'm not sure who did, but credit to whoever it is. I have credit for only the plot and my take on the characters. Everyone has altered personalities compared to canon, so please don't leave a comment and tell me Dave is too babyish or Jake isn't that cocky. I am taking some little quirks about each character and exploiting them in a way to represent their personality. For example, Dirk's loneliness and anxiety, and Dave's self-esteem issues and clinginess. 
> 
> I'm really excited to start this fic! I have so many ideas and an actual plot established ahhh!
> 
> The main ships are Jake/Dave and Dirk/John, though there is some Roxy/Jane. The ships with Caliborn are,,well, you'll see!
> 
> Read on~

The rain was pounding on the windows of the large, mansion-like house as the two stood ten feet apart from each other in the lightning-illuminated hallway, one in tears and the other almost on the verge. Dave’s small form was shaking and tears cascaded down his cheeks as he glowered through his tears at the older male. Jake looked intensely remorseful, almost shocked, and he had his arms held out still, even though Dave had slapped him five minutes ago and told him to stay away.

“Dave, my love, please-” Jake started to speak, voice wavering as he stepped towards the light of his life, the one person he never ever wanted to hurt and whose heart he had stepped on and shattered into little pieces.

“Don’t call me that. I’m not your ‘love’ anymore, I never was. You lied to me from the start, you _used_ me in _every_ way possible to-to suit your selfish, greedy needs-” The blond’s voice broke and he hugged himself, as if to provide the comfort he lacked so desperately.

“No, no, Davey, I swear, I-I love you! I really do, honest to god! I admit I was a fool in the beginning...I didn’t see your perfection, your sweet self...Oh, Dave, I regret it more than anything!” Jake’s voice was panicked as he slowly took two more steps in his direction. He couldn’t lose his darling, his baby, no no no.

“Y-you humiliated me in front of _everyone_ . Not just my brother and your friends but the whole school. And y-you just _watched_ me cry-” Dave started to sob his heart out, covering his face as his shoulders shook. He remembered the flashes of light in the dark auditorium, his tears dripping onto the suit he had so carefully picked out just so he would look good enough for his stunning date, the peals of cruel laughter echoing around the room as he stood there and looked heartbroken.

“Davey, please don’t cry. Oh my baby, don’t-” Jake was rushing forward to embrace him, to stop the sobs that were tearing his heart apart, but Dave backed up quietly and hissed at him to fuck off.

“I’m not your baby.” His words were soft and it hurt so much to say it because he wanted to be Jake’s love, his baby, the one who he showered in affection. But it could never be. The other didn’t just break his heart; he completely destroyed it in the worst way possible.

“Dave-” Jake was mere steps away when those beautiful red eyes tore away from his frantic emerald gaze. The boy turned and fled, skidding down the hall and out the front door, leaving the oak carvings of the door to the rain’s harsh mercy.

Jake, for once, couldn't care less about his fancy house and any possible damage the water could do to it. He ran after Dave, calling his name as he stumbled down the steps and onto wet grass, blinking rain drops out of his eyes. He yelled for his love, dashing down the driveway and looking around, but he saw no sign of the blond. Dave had disappeared, from the property, and from his life.

* * *

 

**Four months earlier**

**February**

“David Elizabeth Strider! Get your ass in here _now_ or you’re going to be late.” Dirk’s annoyed shout carried from the kitchen, down the hall and into Dave’s room. The smaller Strider rolled his eyes, grabbed his backpack, and took his time with trudging to the kitchen.

It was nearing the end of February, and Dave was starting his first semester of high school at a public school instead of being homeschooled. It was technically the second semester of the school year at Central High, but his brother was protective. Dirk was very stressed because apparently some douchebag made his freshman life difficult and he only wanted the best for Dave. But after a semester of being homeschooled, Dave protested and threw a major tantrum (according to him it was ironic), and his brother had finally agreed to let him attend the same high school for the rest of the year. Dave knew he would go into the low-key protective older brother phase, but he was okay with it. While he was in 8th grade and Dirk was in his first year of high school, he would come home with bruises every other day and just break down crying. Dave never knew what exactly happened, but gradually, Dirk’s skin healed and he would come back smiling occasionally, the light returning to his amber eyes. His little brother stopped worrying for the most part, but he still had the desire to ask from time to time. He kept it in for the most part, afraid of seeing those amber eyes look so broken and hollow.

“Will you get your panties out of a twist? It’s barely 7:30.” Dave rolled his eyes as he set his backpack down on the counter and wrinkled his nose at the poptart Dirk had tossed onto the counter for him.

“I hate chocolate flavor in poptarts and you know it. Why didn’t you make me an omelet?” He teased his brother only a little. Both Striders were good at cooking but Dirk got stressed and anxious too often and was afraid his food wouldn’t turn out good enough for anyone else. Today especially, he was probably extra nervous for his baby bro, so Dave didn’t tease him too much.

“Just shut up and eat. You have literally five minutes.” Dirk huffed softly at him, crossing his arms over his orange sweater. Out of the two Striders, he was the sharper one. Sharper amber eyes, sharper jawline, sharper hips and a sharper voice. His strawberry blond hair was gelled in its usual spikes, and his rectangular orange frames were set a bit low on the bridge of his nose.

Dave was the softer brother; softer eyes, softer personality, softer body. While he was only two inches shorter than his brother, standing at 5’5, he had more of a curvy body and a baby face. His eyes were a bright red, matching his rectangular glasses, and his hair was a pale blond. He was sweeter, and much more innocent and naive. He wasn’t stupid but trusting, and that’s why Dirk seemed to worry over him so much.

The younger Strider raised an eyebrow as he reached out for the poptart, opening the silver wrapper with a crinkling noise and pulling out one of the sugar loaded pastries. Dirk was definitely on edge, his amber eyes darting all around the place, and Dave hummed a bit as he bit into the poptart, scrunching up his face at the oversweet, artificial taste.

“Dirk. Will you calm down? I’ll be fine. I know I’m supposed to stay by your side at all times, wait outside my class for you, and wait in the library for you so we can eat lunch together. I _know_.” Dave spoke through another mouthful of poptart as he watched Dirk continue to pace before he finally pulled on his battered Vans.

“Okay, okay. I’m just glad you remember. Don’t talk to anyone unless I’m there okay? There are some...bad people, and I don’t want you near them.” Dirk hesitated on this last part, and Dave was reminded of how fragile Dirk could really be when he wasn’t putting on his big brother act.

“I won’t.” He promised, setting down his half eaten poptart and swishing his mouth with apple juice before swallowing and draining the juicebox. Dirk watched with disgust, and his little brother just laughed.

“C’mon, quick making that face! I thought we were in a hurry?”

It took approximately twenty-three minutes minutes for the two Striders to reach the school by foot. There was no bus and they didn’t have a car, being on the poor side. It was obvious from the worn out sneakers they wore and the shitty apartment that was their home. As soon as they reached the campus, Dirk seemed to tense up, looking around at all the students. Dave was in awe at how many kids were wandering around and how the large subject buildings were spread out in a diamond pattern.

“Here, let’s meet some of my friends. Class doesn’t start for a little bit.” Dirk seemed relieved when he spotted two blond girls sitting under an oak tree, maneuvering his way through the crowd of students before he reached them.

“Oh, hello.” The younger of the two looked up from the book she was reading and bookmarked it swiftly, brushing a lock of short hair behind her ear. The ends her hair barely brushed her jawline, cut at an angle, and her purple eyes were observantly looking over Dave already. The other girl flashed a smile, waving. She had short, wavy curls and bright pink eyes, and her chipped pink nails were clutching a binder decorated with cat stickers.

“Oh, Dirky! You brought your brother!” She squealed and flashed a wide grin, and Dave looked to his brother for help. He wasn’t that great in social situations and he lacked the skills to properly talk to people without stuttering.

“Yeah, Dave’s going to try a semester of high school and see how he likes it. Dave, this is Roxy and Rose Lalonde.” He introduced him to the girls. Roxy waved and beamed, and Rose simply smiled a little.

“Hi.” He smiled a little as Roxy sat back on the grass and motioned for the other two to join them. Dirk sat without hesitation and Dave soon followed.

Rose seemed more interested in her book, and Roxy was babbling about some incident with what seemed to be one of her cats. Dave gazed around the campus, zoning out of the conversation, and his eyes found a group of people that were standing near the entrance to the history building. They were all dressed much nicer and almost fancier than anyone else around them, and students went out of their way to avoid the group.

One of the males was around Dirk’s height, maybe taller, with messy black hair and mischievous blue eyes. Standing next to him was a long haired brunette girl with light green eyes and a hand on her hip. There was also a girl with short black hair, cut in a pixie cut, her blue eyes pale yet intimidating. But the most standout ones were the two tallest in the group, one having his back to him. Dave turned his attention to the scarier looking one that he could properly see. He had dark skin and cropped dark hair with hints of green in it, and his eyes were a fierce red. The young Strider didn’t like the looks of him, and was about to turn his head back to Dirk and immerse himself in the conversation when the tall brunette suddenly turned and fixed Dave with a striking emerald gaze. Dave’s breath hitched and he froze as a wide smirk appeared on the male’s attractive face.

“Dave? What’s wrong?”

He whipped his head back around to face his brother so fast his neck cracked and he winced. He still felt the eyes on him but he cleared his throat and shrugged a shoulder.

“Nothing. Just a lot of people, I guess.” He responded, and Dirk narrowed his eyes. He sensed something was off, but wasn’t about to start questioning him in front of the Lalondes. He opened his mouth to say something, probably subtly ask Dave what was wrong, but the five minute warning bell rang, and he practically leaped into the air.

“Dave! C’mon, I have to show you to your first class.” He impatiently tapped his foot as Dave climbed to his feet, then took off in the direction of the math building. The two Striders were about to enter the large building when they were stopped by that blue-eyed guy.

“Oh, hey, it’s Strider! And what looks like a little Strider..?” He raised an eyebrow and flashed a grin. Dirk seemed at a loss for words and Dave was ready to abscond with him, but he seemed more flustered than afraid.

“John, it’s nice seeing you, but I have to get my brother to class.” Dirk managed to say, trying to move past him. John immediately grabbed his shoulders and grinned.

“No way! Jake has got to see this little twink. Hey, Jake!” He called, and while Dirk’s cheeks were starting to turn pink, he didn’t look happy at Dave being called a twink.

“Well, if it isn’t the cutie who was staring.” Oh fuck no, that same hot guy from earlier was standing in front of Dave, his emerald eyes amused. The blond’s cheeks flushed darkly and he directed his gaze to the ground, embarrassed.

“Aw, he’s blushing!” Jake snickered, and the younger Strider felt humiliated. He inched closer to Dirk, who pulled him close and glared at Jake.

“John, tell your cousin to back off.” His lips were pressed in a thin line and he didn’t look happy at all.

“Don’t worry, Strider, I’m not going to do anything to your brother. He is awfully cute though. Look at his face!” The Brit cooed with a shit-eating grin on his face. Dirk narrowed his eyes, tugging Dave closer.

“We gotta dash, loves. Class is starting soon. I’ll see you around, hm?” Before Dirk could stop him, Jake had tilted Dave’s chin up and brushed his thumb against the blushing skin. He winked and then the two of the were gone, lost in the slowly thinning crowd of students.

Dave was at a loss for words, his cheeks on fire as he stared after him, looking to Dirk with wide eyes. His brother opened his mouth then closed it and hurried into the building with him. What was that? _Who_ was that? He voiced his questions to Dirk, who simply shook his head and came to a stop outside the class.

“Okay, listen. Don’t leave this room until I come in to get you. Promise me, and I’ll explain everything at lunch, okay?” Dirk worried at his lower lip, and Dave tapped his nose with a frown.

“Stop that, you’ll make yourself bleed.” He nodded and disappeared inside the room. Luckily he wasn’t late, though he felt a little guilty that his brother would probably be at least a few minutes tardy to his class. The teacher hadn’t started class, so Dave slipped into a seat at the back of the room, not seeing Rose or Roxy anywhere. The older Lalonde seemed to be a sophomore like Dirk, and Rose was probably a freshman.

Both Striders were extremely smart, and taking all AP and honors classes. This first class was Honors Geometry, which would be easy for Dave. Other than the lingering thoughts of Jake, it passed by quickly as he took notes on the first lesson, packing all his papers neatly into his binder and then sliding it into his backpack. He didn’t dare to leave the classroom, and when Dirk stepped inside, his worried expression melted into one of relief as he found Dave quietly sitting inside and waiting patiently.

The process repeated two more times, with Dirk rushing through the ten minute break they had to show his little brother around a little more. Finally, it was lunchtime. Dave followed the older blond over to the oak tree they had been sitting under earlier, not seeing either of the sisters there. Dirk sat down with a sigh and pulled a can of orange soda out of his backpack. Dave sipped his juice box slowly, eyes on Dirk. He was waiting for an explanation.

“John Egbert and Jake English are cousins. John is a junior and Jake is a senior. When-last year, John helped me out. Things got better because of him. He may be a popular douche but he’s okay.” Dirk cleared his throat, and the red-eyed male sensed he was nervous. “Jake, on the other hand, is not tolerable at all. He’s friends with-...Caliborn. You need to stay away from the two of them at all costs. Caliborn has red eyes and dark skin, and he usually hangs out with Jake. Please, Dave.” Dirk was pale and his grip on his soda was shaky.

Dave knew in an instant that Caliborn, the scary guy he had observed earlier, was the cause of Dirk’s bruises and depression last year. He felt a swell of rage directed at the male he had never even formally met yet, who had hurt his brother so badly. He watched Dirk’s face closely and then spoke.

“You like John.” It wasn’t a question but a statement he wanted Dirk to confirm. Dave could easily deduct from Dirk’s previous actions that he had been harboring a crush on John, and for a long time too. His brother just nodded; words weren’t needed. They sipped their sodas slowly in thoughtful silence until Dave sighed softly.

“I’m going to head to class early. Dirk, sit down, you’ll just be late if you come with me.” He waved off his brother, who started to rise, then sat down with a small huff.

“Oh, alright. Be safe, okay?” Dirk grumbled and relaxed against the oak tree. Dave knew he was watching him.

Dave was getting books out of his locker when he felt the hands on his hips. He jerked forward in surprise and whirled around, a heavy textbook raised to hit his offender, but it slipped from his hand and fell to the ground when he saw it was Jake. The muscular male was at least a foot taller than him and was practically cornering him, a hand against a locker on one side of Dave’s head.

“Hello again, Dave.” He grinned when the blond’s cheeks turned pink and he looked away. “Oh, you’re so shy, it’s sweet.” Dave turned his head away as Jake leaned in, lips ghosting over the shell of his ear. He moved his knee up to try and push him away, but Jake grabbed it with a chuckle.

“You’re too close.” He informed the guy with a small huff, feeling like his face was heating up. “Back away or-or I’ll scream.” He was taking Dirk’s warning seriously.

“Hush now, love. The only thing you’ll be screaming is my name~” The Brit’s breath tickled his ear and Dave shivered, turning his head. “I would love to get to know you better, Dave. Will you let me take you on a date?” He purred, and the blond’s eyes widened in surprise. He had not expected that at all.

“I-uh-” He stammered out, unsure of how to reply. He wasn’t sure what he would have said right then, but the bell rang, signaling a five minute period before the next class started. A small smirk appeared on Jake’s face as he brushed a soft kiss against Dave’s jaw.

“Don’t worry, I’ll have it all arranged by tomorrow night. I’ll see you around, love.” He chuckled as Dave’s face turned the color of a tomato, and then walked away casually, hands in his pockets. The Strider ended up being late for class because he stood there in shock for at least five minutes. Did the hottest guy in school just ask him out on a date?

Dirk was going to kill him.


	2. Jake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jake, John, and Caliborn make a bet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kudos and comments! I seek constant validation in life so : )
> 
> Let me clarify the ages for everyone. Caliborn is 18. Jake is 17. John is 16. Dirk is nearly 16, and Dave is 15. Jane is 17, Roxy is 16, Jade is 16, and Rose is 15.
> 
> Y'all should be grateful to my boyfriend because he proofreads and edits these chapters since I am too lazy. Also,,he helped me come up with William Snakespeare and that's kind of the best thing, so...
> 
> Read on~

“Jade, I told you for the last time, your hair looks bloody smashing! Now can we leave?” Jake crossed his arms, the edge of his folded sunglasses brushing against his tanned arm. He didn’t care about being late to class, as most of the teachers played favorites and didn’t mark him tardy, but he also didn’t like waiting around for his little sister to do her hair.

“I’m coming!” she appeared at the top of the stairs, a hand on her hip as she scowled at her brother and took careful steps. Her sunglasses were propped up on her head, and her gold hoop earrings swayed slightly as she moved.

“Took you long enough.” He muttered, ignoring her dirty look as he grabbed the keys to the Mercedes and headed out to said car. Backpack? No, cool kids didn’t use a silly thing like that. Jade did have a purse though, black with a silver clasp. It matched her black dress, one that flared out the tiniest bit at the bottom and was adorned at the waist with a simple green belt the color of her eyes.

Jake himself was dressed in a preppy yet casual way, with khaki shorts and a dark green button down shirt. His brown hair was gelled perfectly, and in his opinion, he was the best looking guy in the school. As he exited the house, Jade fussed over her earrings getting caught in her hair. He rolled his eyes at her and got into the driver’s seat.

“Maybe you shouldn’t wear ugly bracelets on your ears.” Jake spoke, and the only response he got was a smack in the face from her purse. He huffed and then snickered, not affected because it barely weighed anything. He had never looked inside, but she seemed to only pull out lipgloss and mascara instead of actual school-related things.

He drove the two of them to school, putting down the top of the convertible because it looked cool. Plus it messed up Jade’s hair, so that was always a bonus. She sent him a dirty look and fixed her hair once he had parked in their usual spot in the front of the school. John and Jane were standing by the front and locked in a heated discussion, the younger of the two clutching a Starbucks drink and his older sister carrying her pompoms and wearing her cheerleading outfit. It was a cute blue shirt with a white crop top, bearing the name of the school in blue letters.

“Hello, mate.” Jake flashed a grin to his cousins, looking to John and the sugary drink he was sipping. Probably a vanilla bean frappuccino; he was basic and got the same thing every single morning.

“Hey, Jake! Caliborn is probably going to be late. He said something about Calliope freaking out over his snake?” The blue-eyed male rolled his eyes and nudged Jane with a snicker. The girl was horrified at the mention of snakes, giving a little shudder.

“I can see you’re ready to tumble off the cheer pyramid again.” Jake remarked casually to Jane, his lips curving into a smirk as her pale cheeks flushed in anger and she glared at him.

“That was _one_ time, asshole.” Her tone was snobbish and offended as she turned her head away, huffing. “And it wasn’t my fault! That dumb redheaded bitch should’ve held on tighter!”

“Moving on, can we get into some shade?” Jade cut in with a small huff, crossing her arms. Her expression was one of annoyance, and one arm was being raised to shield it from the sun.

“Alright, princess.” Her brother rolled his eyes and motioned for them to move further onto the campus. The small group walked past a few oak trees until they were standing in the shade, and Jade’s sour face relaxed a tad.

“English! Long time no see!” Caliborn slapped Jake on the back and sent him a crooked grin, his unusually sharp teeth flashing in the sun.

“You’re late, Caliborn. How is William Snakespeare?” The Brit raised an eyebrow and his friend just rolled his eyes, speaking over Jane and John arguing over who would get the car after school.

“He’s fine, Calliope is just a whiny bitch and made a big fucking deal out of nothing again.” He sounded ticked off, crossing his arms and then glancing behind Jake.

“It seems Strider has a little brother, and he’s staring at you.” Caliborn spoke sharply, and Jake turned in that instant to gaze into lovely red eyes. He looked quite young and was sitting next to Dirk Strider, that blond that John was fond of. The boy, who seemed to be his little brother, had a flustered expression and a face to die for, with porcelain skin, pale hair, and an overall innocent look to him. Jake started to smirk widely, mind already racing with what possibilities could happen if he could land that cute twink in bed with him.

But the kid quickly turned his head away and began to talk to his brother, leaving Jake with the impression that he was probably shy, if not afraid of him. He definitely had to be a freshman, with that small frame and baby face. Oh, Jake just wanted to eat him up alive, he was so cute. When the Brit turned back to the group, John was eyeing him slyly, and he knew he had been caught staring.

The bell rang, distracting him from his thoughts and causing Jade to groan beside him.

“Well, let’s go introduce you.” John raised an eyebrow to his cousin, smirking faintly. Jake simply nodded, knowing John was familiar with Dirk.

John took off through the crowd, discarding his now empty Starbucks cup in a trash can as he followed after the Strider brothers. They were surprisingly fast and he nearly lost them in the crowd, and Jake chuckled softly as he followed at a slower pace. He wasn’t in any rush; he didn’t have to worry about being tardy to class.

By the time he was close enough, he saw that Dirk was tense from John calling his brother a twink, and the boy looked nervous. But he couldn’t get enough of the blush that dusted his cheeks when he caught sight of Jake.

“Well, if it isn’t the cutie who was staring earlier.” He flashed a cocky grin, nudging John lightly. The other had his hand on Dirk’s arm.

“Aw he’s blushing!” Jake snickered and glanced at John, who looked amused. The boy blushed even harder and scooted closer to his brother, looking so timid and nervous.

“John, tell your cousin to back off.” Dirk hissed softly, pulling his brother close.

“Don’t worry, Strider, I’m not going to do anything to your brother. He is awfully cute though. Look at his face!” The Brit was extremely amused, a wide grin on his face. Dirk seemed pissed off and he was delighted. Pushing people’s buttons in his own way was the best fun. The bell rang, indicating 5 minutes until class started.

“We gotta dash, loves. Class is starting soon. I’ll see you around, hm?” Jake didn’t miss the way Dirk’s eyes followed John, and he took the opportunity to step forward and swiftly lift the boy’s chin up, brushing his thumb against the warm, soft skin. He gazed into those gorgeous ruby eyes before dropping his hand and following John into the crowd, buzzing with the pleasurable feeling that he had caused conflicting emotions for the Striders.

Jake was a douche; anyone in the school could tell you that, but he wasn’t abnormally cruel like Caliborn. Take last year for instance. Caliborn had treated Dirk extremely poorly and went one step out of line. John had grown a soft spot for the dork, managing to help him stand up against the other. Caliborn calmed down by the end of the year, thankfully.

“Jake totally wants to get in Dave’s pants!” John called in a sing-a-song voice as the two of them sat on the picnic table where Caliborn and Jane were.

“Who?” Jake wrinkled his nose. “Oh, that’s the kid’s name. Yes, he’s quite adorable. I think it’ll be a piece of cake as long as that pesky Dirk stays out of my way.” He was confident.

“Nothing is a challenge for you, is it?” John laughed a bit and folded his arms, resting them on the table. Jane looked annoyed because the picnic bench was a bit dusty and causing her uniform to get ruined.

“Well, what if we make it a challenge?” Caliborn spoke up from where he had been lazily scrolling through Facebook. When all he received were confused looks, he rolled his eyes and muttered, “Fuckers,” before going on to explain.

“It would be way more fun if you extend this out. Play with him for a little while, make him really think you like him. The fucking brat would be devastated.” Caliborn had a satisfied smirk on his face; he really seemed to hate the Striders, but some harmless fun wouldn’t be a big deal.

“Ooh, sounds like a good idea.” John agreed with him. “But for how long? And when would he finally reveal this was just a bet?”

“Hmph. Boys.” Jane fanned her face and stood up abruptly, storming off to go find something more interesting to do. None of them even cared to watch her for more than a few seconds.

“Oh, we’re betting now?” Jake sat up a little straighter, emerald eyes sparkling in delight. “If I can rope him along for a few months, I want at least $500 from each of you.”

  
“I’ll make it a thousand if it’s for the whole semester and you dump him right before prom.” Caliborn flashed a malicious grin, drumming his oddly sharp nails on the wooden table. John nodded his head, agreeing once more.

“The whole semester? That means I probably can’t bang anyone else.” Jake frowned slightly, thinking it over. “Oh well. The boy has such a nice body and the cutest face. Something tells me a bit of sweet talk will easily win him over.” A smirk formed on his face.

“That’s the spirit! It’ll be funny watching him fall for you.” His cousin snickered a bit, running a hand through his messy black hair. Unlike Jake, he didn’t gel it, preferring the casual windblown look he had perfected over the years.

“You better not tell Dirk. He won’t be pleased and everything will come to a halt, chap.” Jake told him sternly.

“Oh, shut up. I wouldn’t ruin the fun like that.” John scoffed and waved a hand dismissively in his direction, obviously not about to run off to tell him

“Well then, I’m off to find the twink. I’ll be around after school if we should hit the beach or something.” The Brit stood up and stretched a bit, making his way towards his car. He decided to ditch until lunch; hopefully then he could find Dave and set up a date. He was confident the blond had never been asked out, so he would easily be able to woo and use the other to his advantage.

By the time the bell rang for lunch, Jake had arrived back onto campus after bringing John another Starbucks drink. That teen was addicted to the sugary sweet drink, it seemed. The Brit wandered through the halls, looking around at all the students and trying to find the small Strider, but it proved impossible. He was starting to get annoyed when there was only ten minutes of lunch left, but as he finally approached a cluster of lockers, he recognized Dave’s blond head and smirked.

The boy had his back to Jake, pulling books out of his locker, and he dropped one when Jake essentially trapped him with his arms, grinning.

“Hello again, Dave.” He all but purred, grinning when Dave blushed and looked away. He leaned in closer, lightly ghosting over the boy’s ear with his lips. “Oh you’re so shy, it’s sweet.” He chuckled as the blond moved a knee up, probably to push him back. Jake grabbed it easily, knowing this would be a piece of cake.

Two minutes later, he walked away from a definitely blushing Dave, a bounce in his step. He needed to set up the perfect date for him, to start winning over Dave’s heart immediately. Problem was, he didn’t know anything about Dave, nor did he actually care. However, he could probably get John to ask Dirk about him, hopefully without revealing the fact that Jake was going to ask his little brother out on a date. More like demand a date, seeing as Dave hadn’t exactly agreed but just stood there, stuttering and blushing.

Humming, Jake went to find his cousin. He needed to execute the perfect date to kick off this bet, and he needed to know everything about Dave in order to so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be in Dirk's POV, so there'll be more Dirk/John :D


End file.
